Spectrum viewing device and method

ABSTRACT

A capsule includes a bottom portion for holding a liquid used for making bubbles, and a separate top portion. The top portion can be used to blow bubbles, where the bubble, after at least partially air drying, can be formulated to rest on a surface. The top portion also includes an aperture that houses a hologram lens. After a bubble is blown and at least partially immobilized on a surface, the top portion is placed in an optimal viewing position near the bubble. Viewing of the bubble through the lens of the top portion separates the light reflected off the bubble into a spectrum. The top portion and the bottom portion of the capsule can temporarily be attached to one another by forming a seal, by being temporarily affixed into one another. The top portion and bottom portion of the capsule can also be at least partially separated from each other.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present application generally relates to a system, apparatus andmethod for viewing a light spectrum in a polymer-based bubble, where afilm is placed on the cap of a container of a bubble solution to form alens. The viewing of the light spectrum in the bubble creates an effectof at least one “star”-like shape appearing within the bubble whenviewing the bubble through the lens held near the bubble.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Children blow ordinary soap bubbles but the bubbles pop, disintegrateand/or deconstruct soon after they are blown. Using the Catch-A-Bubble®formulated bubble liquid, children can catch bubbles in their hands,without the bubbles popping or deconstructing.

In the past, children have used novelty glasses containing speciallytreated holographic film lenses that break light into its constituentspectral components. However, ordinary soap bubbles when viewed throughthese holographic lenses cannot produce a significant effect, asordinary soap bubbles do not deflect light in a manner wherein it canseparated into its spectral components. Therefore, viewing ordinary soapbubbles through the lenses of the novelty glasses does not produce anysignificant results.

Additionally, these ordinary soap bubbles are not formulated to maintaintheir structure. Since these soap bubbles pop or disintegrate uponcontact, they cannot be “caught” by a child. The short existence ofthese ordinary soap bubbles only gives a child a small time frame toattempt to entrap or even view a light spectrum from a bubble.

Also, a child may not be able to use the novelty glasses to view aclear, non-cloudy light spectrum of the ordinary soap bubble and thenovelty glasses may create a safety hazard for a child, since a childrunning around wearing the glasses and chasing ordinary soap bubbles maynot be able to clearly see his/her surroundings and may cause injury tohimself/herself or others.

Accordingly, there exists a need for a user, such as a child, to be ableto view spectral effects, such as effects that appear to be “star”shaped, apparently within a long-lasting bubble through a lens that canbe hand-held, allowing for greater safety than wearing existing noveltyglasses.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one embodiment, a user, such as a child, can use ahand-held hologram lens mounted on a cap to view a separated lightspectrum apparently within a long-lasting bubble, such as a bubbleproduced by using the Catch-A-Bubble® formula.

According to another embodiment, a child can blow a bubble withoutcompletely removing the hologram lens cap from the tube containerhousing the Catch-A-Bubble® formula. This may prevent spilling of theformula and reduces dripping of the formula.

According to yet another embodiment, the hologram lens cap comprises asingle unit including a wand, a casing for holding a lens, includinghologram film, and a lid. The hologram lens cap can be removablyattached onto the container thus creating a single entity that can beheld in a child's hand.

These and other features of this invention are described in, or areapparent from, the following detailed description of various exemplaryembodiments of this invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features and advantages of the present application will be morefully understood with reference to the following detailed descriptionwhen taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures, wherein:

FIG. 1A is a right front perspective view which illustratively depictssome portions of the assembled hologram lens cap;

FIG. 1B is a right front perspective exploded view which illustrativelydepicts some portions of the hologram lens cap;

FIG. 2 illustratively depicts the various components of the hologramsystem including a container for the bubble solution and an assembledhologram lens cap having a wand attached;

FIGS. 3A-3B illustratively depict the various unassembled components ofthe present system in exploded views;

FIGS. 4A-4B illustratively depict how a user views a light spectrumapparently within a bubble blown by the user; and

FIG. 5 illustratively depicts a user's hand catching severallong-lasting blown bubbles.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

A system, apparatus and method of viewing a separated light spectrum,apparently within a long-lasting bubble, is provided. The system allowsfor a user, such as a child, to blow one or more long-lasting bubblesand then hold the bubble(s) in place while looking through a hologramlens cap comprising hologram film. As light reflects off the bubble, thelight may be split and diffract into several beams travelling indifferent directions. This diffraction grating effect created by thehologram film can display a star-like pattern imposed upon the subjectmatter viewable through the lens. In other words, a child viewing thebubble through the hologram lens cap can see at least one “star”apparently within the bubble.

FIG. 1A illustrates a portion of the hologram lens cap 1. The hologramlens cap 1 comprises a clip 2, a lid 3, a casing 4 and a hologram lens5. The hologram lens will be described in detail below.

FIG. 1B illustrates details about the various components that make upthe hologram lens cap 1. The casing 4, as shown in FIG. 1A, may comprisea front casing 8A and a back casing 8B. In one embodiment, the frontcasing 8A includes three male prongs 9. The male prongs snap and lockinto the three counterpart female sections (labeled as reference numeral15 in FIG. 3A) inside the back casing 8B. The locking of the prongs intothe female sections combines the front and back casings, 8A and 8B,respectively, along with other portions of the hologram lens cap 1 intoone, solid cap. In one embodiment of the present application, anadhesive can be applied onto the front and back casings to bond themtogether and ensure that the pieces do not separate. The casing can beconstructed of any reasonable material such as, but not limited to anytype of plastic, and/or from any material from an animal source, plantsource, mineral source, and synthetic source, and/or any otherreasonable source.

Secured in between the front casing 8A and the back casing 8B are abracket 7, a hologram film 6A, a clear plastic material 6B, a clip 2 anda lid 3. In one embodiment of the present application, the clear plasticmaterial 6B has an adhesive applied to it so that the clear plasticmaterial 6B can bond to the hologram film 6A and the bracket 7. Theclear plastic material 6B and the hologram film 6A combined make up thehologram lens 5. In one embodiment of the present application, thehologram lens can be created by photographically embedding a holograminto polymer film and die cut into 1.8 cm circles. The die cut polymerfilm can then be laminated with the clear plastic material 6B andinserted in between the casing (described below). In another embodimentof the present application, the hologram lens 5 can created by using ahologram film such as diffraction grating film (See FIG. 1B, referencenumeral 6A). The properties of the diffracting grating film are suchthat it breaks up white light into all the colors of the spectrum. Inother words, the light can be split and diffracted into several beamstravelling in different directions. The properties of the diffractinggrating film are well known in the art and will not be furtherdiscussed. Of course, other materials and types of film can be used tocreate the hologram lens 5.

The inner diameter of the bracket 7 can be 1.6 cm and the outer diametercan be 3.0 cm. The diameter of the clear plastic material 6B can be 2.5cm. The diameter of the inner hole of the casing can be 1.6 cm. Ofcourse, other sized components and materials may be used. The hologramlens 5 fits into the aperture of the casing 4. After the hologram lensis secured within the casing, the portion housing the hologram lens mayalso be referred to as a “viewer” for viewing images.

In one embodiment of the present application, the clip 2 and lid 3 areattached to each other and form one unit, as shown in FIG. 1B. Attachedto the base of this unit is a T-bar wand (see FIG. 2, reference numerals10, 20 and 21, described in detail below). Therefore, in one embodimentof the present application, the clip 2, lid 3 and the T-bar wand areattached together to form one unit. The clip 2, lid 3, the wand 10, thehologram film 6A, the clear plastic material 6B and the bracket 7 can beconstructed of any reasonable material such as, but not limited to anytype of plastic, and/or from any material from an animal source, plantsource, mineral source, and synthetic source, and/or any otherreasonable source. In one embodiment of the present application, thehologram film can be laminated to the clear plastic material 6B.

In order to construct the hologram lens cap, the clip 2 and lid 3 unitcan be pushed into designated cavities in either one of the front casing8A or the back casing 8B. Also, the bracket 7, which contains threeholes for the prongs 9 to fit through, the hologram film 6A and theclear plastic material 6B are held in place and secured between thecasings. When the prongs 9 are passed through the bracket 7 and arelocked inside the female sections of the back casing 8B and all thecomponents are secured, the hologram lens cap 1, as shown in FIG. 1A,can be constructed as one unit. Any adhesives or any reasonable materialfrom an animal source, plant source, mineral source, and syntheticsource, and/or any other reasonable source can be used to hold togetherone, many or all of the components of the hologram lens cap 1.

A wand 10 can also be affixed to the base of the clip 2 and lid 3 unit,as illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3A and 3B. The wand 10 can be fixedinternally to the cap and projects down into the barrel of a capsule orcontainer 11 holding the bubble-producing formula, for exampleCatch-A-Bubble®. In one embodiment of the present application, the wandcan be a “T” bar 21 wand system that, in combination with a top portion22 of the container 11 having a smaller diameter than the length of thewidest portion of the “T” bar 21 wand, prevents the wand from completelybeing pulled out of the container. In that embodiment of the presentapplication, the “T” bar wand system allows a child to blow bubblesthrough the opening of the wand 10 without allowing the child tocompletely pull out the wand. That is, the wand 10 in combination with arestriction at the top portion 22 of the container, can be dipped intothe container 11 of solution and can be partially pulled out of thecontainer 11, but the upside-down “T” shaped bottom 21 of the wand 10prevents the child from being able to completely pull the wand 10 out ofthe container 11. In this way, the hologram lens cap 1 significantlyreduces liquid dripping off the wand that usually occurs when aconventional wand is removed from the container. In one embodiment ofthe present application, the aperture 20 for liquid retention can be“eye” shaped. Of course, the aperture 20 may be any shape or size,without departing from the spirit or scope of the present application.Additionally, the wand 10 can be rigid or collapsible. In anotherembodiment of the present application, the lens cap 1 be screwed onto anappropriate section of the container 11. Of course, other means ofaffixing the lens cap 1 to the container such as a friction fit, ispossible.

The partially assembled wand and cap are shown in FIG. 2. In a preferredembodiment of the present application, the hologram lens cap 1 includesall the pieces shown in FIGS. 2, 3A and 3B, such as the wand 10, thecasing 4, the hologram lens 5, the clip 2 and the lid 3 as one unit.These pieces can be affixed to each other by any means to form a solidpiece. In another embodiment, the casing 4 holding the hologram lens 5can be separated from the lid portion containing the clip 2 and the lid3.

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate in detail the unassembled portions of thehologram lens cap 1. FIG. 3B is a mirror image of FIG. 3A. As describedabove, these portions can be joined with one another to form thehologram lens cap 1.

In one embodiment of the present application, the barrel of thecontainer 11 houses a specific bubble formula, such as theCatch-A-Bubble® formula. The Catch-A-Bubble® formula is polymer based,which allows the bubble to at least partially harden on contact with airenough to permit manipulation. Therefore, the properties of thispolymer-based formula and bubble can permit diffraction of light, aslight can easily reflect off the bubble created by this formula. Such aformula also allows a child to blow bubbles through the aperture 20 inthe wand 10 and then catch the bubbles in his/her hand, as shown in FIG.5, because the bubbles are at least partially hardened on contact withair. In one embodiment of the present application, when the bubble iscaught under sunlight or a spot light, a child holds the hologram lenscap 1 close to the bubble and views the bubble through the lens, as aresult of diffraction of light reflected from the surface of the bubble,to see an apparent bubble having one or more “stars” within the bubble.That is, the diffraction grating film on the lens can split and diffractthe light into its spectral components (i.e., into several beamstravelling in different directions). Such an effect may appear to achild as at least one colorful “star” within the bubble. Therefore,after blowing a bubble, catching the bubble, and viewing the bubblethrough the hologram lens cap, the child appears to have “caught a star”in his/her bubble. The details of this process will now be describedwith respect to FIGS. 4A and 4B (not drawn to scale).

A child 14 can unscrew or otherwise remove the hologram lens cap 1 fromthe container 11. The child can then pull out the hologram lens cap 1 sothat the wand 10, especially the “eye” aperture 20 portion of the “T”shaped wand 10 can be exposed. The child 14 is not able to fullyseparate the hologram lens cap 1 from the container as the “T” bottom 21of the wand 10, in combination with the top portion restriction 22,prevents the wand from completely being pulled out of the barrel of thecontainer 11. Therefore, the child 14 may unscrew the hologram lens cap1 and rotate it any direction, but cannot completely separate thehologram lens cap 1 from the container 11. The “eye” aperture 20 portionof the wand is sufficiently exposed from the container 11 and contains athin, continuous layer of the liquid Catch-A-Bubble® formula. This thinlayer can be created as a result of the liquid within the containerstreaming down along the wand under the action of gravity, where thesurface tension of the formulated liquid creates this layer withinaperture 20. As the child 14 expels air out of his/her mouth by“blowing” into the aperture 20, the thin layer, formed from apolymer-based liquid having somewhat elastic properties, expands toproduce one or more bubbles such as bubble 12A, as illustrated in FIG.4A.

After the bubble(s) is/are created, the child 14 screws or otherwisereattaches the hologram lens cap 1 back onto the container 11. Thisprevents the child 14 from spilling the formula contained within thecontainer 11 while the child is mobile. In another embodiment, the lidportion of the hologram lens cap 1 snaps onto the container 11. Thehologram lens cap 1 can form a seal onto the container 11 in any knownmanner.

The child 14 can then run around and catch blown bubble(s) that havehardened in the air, on his/her hand, as shown in FIG. 5. Of course, thechild 14 may hand the bubble to another child or place the bubbleanywhere.

The child 14 can hold up the bubble(s) in front of the hologram lens cap1 and container 11 (the hologram lens cap 1 now sealed on top of thecontainer 11) for viewing through his/her eyes. The child may hold thebubble(s) in one hand, for example, while holding the hologram lens cap1 attached to the container 11 in the other hand. The child can view thebubble through the hologram lens 5 viewer. In one embodiment of thepresent application, the hologram lens 5 viewer portion of the hologramlens cap 1 may contain a film that can be at least partiallytranslucent, allowing the child to look through the hologram lens viewerto see the bubble.

Due to the Catch-A-Bubble® polymer-based formula, the bubble(s)reflect(s) off sunlight or bright light from a light source. Thebubble(s), constructed of the specially formulated Catch-A-Bubble®polymer-based formula, can quickly air dry and at least partially hardenin the atmosphere so that it may be manipulated and/or handled by thechild. Of course, in an alternative embodiment, other bubble producingformula may be utilized to create these type of bubbles.

The child can position the bubble(s) in an optimal viewing position,such as approximately 5-31 cm (approximately between 2-12 inches) awayfrom his/her head and eyes. In one embodiment of the presentapplication, when viewing the bubble(s) through the hologram lens cap 1,the child can see the reflective light on the bubble separated into aspectrum that may appear as at least one bright, sparkling “star” 13.That is, the light being broken down and diffracted into several beamstraveling in different directions comprising the spectrum can appear asseveral different colored “lines” bursting out, which can appear to be a“star”-like. Therefore, the child has now been able to “catch a star”within the blown bubble 12B, as shown in FIG. 4B. Of course, the linesshown in bubble 12B are for illustratively purposes only and are notmeant to limit the spirit and scope of the present application.

The hologram lens cap 1 can be used to view the light spectrum ofobjects other than bubbles. According to an exemplary embodiment, thehologram lens cap 1 can be used to look at any light emitting diode(L.E.D.) or bright night light source. Of course, the hologram lens cap1 can be used to view other objects that reflect light.

After the child has finished playing, the hologram lens cap 1 and thecontainer 11 can be placed inside and secured to the child's pocket byusing the clip 2.

Now that exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure have been shownand described in detail, various modifications and improvements thereonwill become readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

1. A method for viewing a spectrum of light rejected off an object through a lens comprising: generating and at least partially immobilizing the object; exposing at least part of the object to light, wherein the object at least partially reflects the light; and viewing at least part of the object through the lens, wherein the lens separates at least some of the light reflected off the object into the spectrum.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the object is a bubble.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the bubble is formulated using a polymer-based solution.
 4. A method of viewing an object through a lens, the object formed from liquid housed within a capsule having a top portion and a bottom portion comprising: separating at least part of the top portion of the capsule from at least part of the bottom portion of the capsule; generating the object from the liquid, the object having a substantially spherical shape; rejoining the at least part of the top portion of the capsule with the at least part of the bottom portion of the capsule; and viewing the object through the lens, the lens comprising a film, wherein the lens being housed on the top portion, and wherein at least part of the object is exposed to a light.
 5. The method of claim 4 wherein a distance between the object and the lens is between 2 inches to 12 inches.
 6. The method of claim 4 wherein the object is a bubble.
 7. The method of claim 6 wherein the bubble is formulated using a polymer-based solution.
 8. A system of viewing an object through a lens comprising: a capsule housing a liquid, the capsule comprising: a top portion including a wand and a casing having an aperture, wherein the aperture houses the lens comprising a film; and a bottom portion, the top portion and bottom portion adapted to be at least partially separated from each other; and the object, generated by the liquid being inserted through the wand, wherein the generated object is capable of manual manipulation; wherein upon placing the object adjacent to the aperture housing the lens, the object is adapted to be viewed through the lens.
 9. The system of claim 8 wherein the liquid is polymer-based.
 10. The system of claim 8 wherein the object is adapted to be at least partially immobilized.
 11. The system of claim 8 wherein the viewing of the object through the lens generates a spectrum.
 12. The system of claim 11 wherein the spectrum is generated when at least part of the object is exposed to a light.
 13. The system of claim 8 wherein the object is a bubble.
 14. The system of claim 8 herein a distance between the object and the aperture housing the lens is between 2 inches to 12 inches.
 15. The system of claim 8 wherein the wand and the aperture housing the lens are coupled to each other.
 16. The system of claim 13 wherein the bubble is partially immobilized and can rest on a surface.
 17. An apparatus for viewing a spectrum through a lens attached to a container comprising: a cap comprising: the lens comprising a hologram film; and a casing for securing the hologram film; and a wand comprising an aperture, the wand coupled to the cap and the wand at least removably secured within the container; polymer based bubble solution within the container, wherein after an object is generated by blowing on the polymer based bubble solution entrapped in the aperture of the wand, the cap is held in proximity of the object such that when the object is viewed through the lens of the cap, a spectrum is viewable.
 18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the object is a bubble. 